Field of the Disclosure
Aspects of the present invention generally relate to an information processing apparatus having a wireless communication function such as a wireless local area network (LAN) function, and a method of controlling the apparatus. More particularly, the aspects of the present invention relate to a method of preventing information leakage in the information processing apparatus.
Description of the Related Art
Information processing apparatuses include, for example, image forming apparatuses such as copying machines, printers, and facsimile apparatuses. In recent years, some of the image forming apparatuses are provided with a wireless communication function such as a wireless LAN function. The use of a wireless LAN can eliminate wiring of cables, and the like. This enables, for example, a user to use the image forming apparatus via an external device such as a personal computer (PC) provided outside a building where the user stays. Further, data in the image forming apparatus can be read or written from the external device.
As described above, the use of the wireless LAN enables the user to access the image forming apparatus from the external device without installing wiring. Unfortunately, this also enables a user not expected by an administrator to access the image forming apparatus. To prevent the unexpected access, for example, when the user tries to access the image forming apparatus using the wireless LAN, authentication with a Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) key or a Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) key is performed.
Meanwhile, a connection by a wireless LAN without such authentication is provided (hereinafter, referred to as an authentication free wireless connection). The use of the authentication free wireless connection might cause improper use of the image forming apparatus from an unspecified number of external devices (for example, a PC), and then, a print job, or the like can be improperly executed.
Especially, if data in the image forming apparatus is accessed using a browser of the external device, even if the user does not stay at an installation site of the image forming apparatus, the user can view an address book recorded in the image forming apparatus and further edit the address book.
In the authentication free wireless connection state, external devices within the area where a wireless connection to the image forming apparatus can be allowed can access the image forming apparatus. As a result, the private information such as the address book recorded in the image forming apparatus can be stolen by the unspecified number of external devices.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-85090 discusses a method of restricting remote access to an information processing apparatus such as an image forming apparatus. In the method, in the first access, authentication is performed using user setting information set by an administrator.
In this method, after the authentication for the first access becomes successful, the image forming apparatus acquires device identification information that is specific to the external device, and registers the information in a memory, or the like. In the subsequent accesses, the image forming apparatus determines whether an access right is given to the external device using a combination of the user setting information and the device identification information. The external device determined to have the access right can issue various types of processing requests to the image forming apparatus via the wireless LAN.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-85090, for the user setting information, a user name and a user ID, a password, or the like are used, and for the device identification information, a Media Access Control (MAC) address and an Internet Protocol (IP) address, or the like are used.
In such a system configuration, if the device identification information (device-specific information) of the external device is changed, the device identification information needs to be registered again. Further, even if the external device is connected by a wire such as a wired LAN, and even if it is clear that the device is a highly reliable external device placed near the image forming apparatus, the device identification information needs to be registered. Consequently, the image forming apparatus is not so much user-friendly.